FUNDRAISING ORGANIZATION

10.a. Major Giving

A major gift is defined as a gift of $25,000 or more, that is either made outright or pledged.

10.b. Annual Leadership Giving

An annual leadership gift is an outright gift of $1,000 made on an annual basis with the goal of eventually becoming a major gift donor.

10.c. Annual Fund

The Annual Fund is the umbrella program for annual giving at Utah State University. It is the only program at Utah State that contacts alumni, parents, faculty, staff, and students every year. The Annual Fund focuses on building a sustainable, reliable base of non-legislative support for the University and its students. Gifts to the Annual Fund help all the University students by providing resources to support academic initiatives that are not funded through state allocations or tuition and student fees. The priority of the Annual Fund is to raise unrestricted funds for the University and the colleges; however, donors may designate their gifts to any college, department, or program of the University they choose. The Annual Fund also is a continuing source of information about the University to our constituents.

1. Aggie Connection Phonathon

   The Aggie Connection Phonathon program reaches out to alumni, parents, faculty, staff, and friends of Utah State University. The Aggie Connection is staffed entirely by University students who provide a firsthand perspective on the difference a gift can make and why the annual fund is crucial to the University's success. The Aggie Connection is used to increase alumni participation and support as well as to keep our alumni and friends connected to the University.

2. Senior Class Gift

   All graduating seniors in the school year are invited to vote on a senior class gift and donate.

3. Parent Fund

   The Parent Fund solicits parents of currents students, former and current library staff and former donors to the parent fund to help create quality library services to benefit University students.

   A parent can honor their student, a current/former professor, or someone important with a bookplate for a donation of a $100 or more.

4. Young Alumni

   Young Alumni are defined as alumni and attenders age 40 years and younger.

5. Direct Mail

   Annual Fund direct mailings are sent each fall to alumni and attenders from the University President. In addition, direct mailings are sent each spring to alumni and attenders from each of their preferred colleges.

6. Crowdfunding – AggieFunded

   AggieFunded is the University crowdfunding platform to assist departments, teams, clubs or organizations to meet a fundraising goal quickly. Each campaign will not exceed a $10,000 goal.

   All project teams are asked to complete a crowdfunding application found at https://www.usu.edu/aggiefunded/. There is an application checklist that must be completed prior to your project being approved by the student giving committee. Crowdfunding campaigns require a minimum of 4-6 weeks to plan and execute a successful campaign launch.

7. Annual Fund Chargebacks

   To cover some of the costs of administering the University Annual Fund program (e.g., student wages, calling software, and IT support) chargebacks will be assessed to colleges and departments based on a percentage of each cash gift (not pledged) raised through the Annual Fund, including those solicited through phonathon, mail, email, and personal solicitation.

   Each department has chargeback Banner indexes for each of their accounts tracked in the Millennium database. A daily automated feed debits the department account and credits the Annual Fund account. In Banner, the description will say “Annual Fund Charge Axxxx.” The Axxxxx is the account where the gift was originally deposited.

   • Chargebacks are currently set at a rate of 5% of the gift.
   • Payroll deduction gifts are excluded from chargebacks.
   • Crowdfunding gifts are excluded from chargebacks.
   • Chargebacks for all student giving solicitations (including Senior Gift) are charged to the Class Gift account.

10.d. Student Organization Fundraising

Student Organization Fundraising is defined as any event where the student organization intends to raise additional funds through solicitation (funds and items), charging admission to a fundraising event, or selling products/services excluding collecting membership fees or dues. This includes fundraisers that may benefit the student organization, other charitable groups or an individual.

Any student organization wishing to fundraise must submit an Application to Raise Funds at least ten days prior to the fundraiser. Only student organizations that have been pre-approved will be allowed to fundraise.

10.e. Unit Department Solicitation

Units, departments, and programs must coordinate all solicitations through their unit development officer and the Annual Fund. An updated mailing, emailing and/or phone list for your constituent solicitation must be used to ensure accurate data and applicable communication restrictions are applied. New lists can be requested at https://www.usu.edu/advancement/request/. All solicitations must be noted on the solicitation calendar to coordinate fundraising efforts and ensure alumni and friends are not over solicited.

Using Email Lists from the University Advancement Office

 

1. To ensure that USU is compliant with the CAN-SPAM Act of 2003, 16 CFR 316, the Office of Advancement Services must send all email communication for lists that have been generated from the Alumni and Donor Database to guarantee that emails are being sent properly.
2. equests must be made by university staff; lists will not be given to volunteers or students.
3. Emails must be scheduled on the email calendar found on the advancement staff resources page found at https://www.usu.edu/advancement/staffresources/.
4. Restrictions on the frequency of emails to a constituent are as follows:
   • There will be a minimum of two days between emails sent to the same constituent,
   • The same constituent should not receive more than two emails in one week,
   • The same constituent should not receive more than eight emails in one month, and
   • The number of email messages regarding a particular event is limited to one invite and up to two reminder messages.
5. Email messages should meet at least one of the following criteria:
   • Inform the recipient about general university information on or off campus,
   • Invite the recipient to an event,
   • Solicit the recipient for university support,
   • Present a call to action to the recipient,
   • Thank the recipient, or
   • Involve the recipient with Utah State University.
6. If the email request is for a solicitation, the Annual Fund Director will review each request to ensure the timing and content of the email message is appropriate as it relates to the overall strategies and objectives of University Advancement.
7. A copy of the email will be circulated and approved by the University Advancement email test group and requester before sending
8. Email address lists from the database will not be given to any University employee or volunteer to create their address book or shadow database for mass emailing. Any exception to this will be approved by the Vice President of Advancement.
9. Emails for specific Unit/Department events will only be allowed to have email addresses for alumni and donors from their unit/college.  Unit/Departments are encouraged to advertise their events via social media, USU event page, and a call to action for alumni to spread the word.
10. All emails must abide by appropriate email communication restrictions noted in Millennium
    • Do not email,
    • Do not solicit by email,
    • Do not email newsletter,
    • Do not email promotional mailings, or
    • Other restrictions deemed necessary.

10.f. Other Resources

1. Solicitation Calendar

   Solicitation details, such as the mailing date and the mailing audience will be submitted on the University Advancement Solicitation Calendar to coordinate fundraising efforts at the University and ensure that alumni and friends are not "over solicited."

2. Solicitation Code for Tracking

   Units can request a solicitation code that can be tied to their specific solicitation. When donations are processed, the gift is tagged with the same solicitation code to ensure accurate reporting on solicitation efforts.